Retractable handle of wheeled luggage having one or two pulling rods

ABSTRACT

A retractable handle of wheeled luggage is provided. For the case of single pulling rod, pressing a push button will tighten a connecting rod to move a lower sliding block to a one direction so that an upright rod is pressed to lower a locking member and an upright member to clear the locking member from a toothed member, thereby unlocking both the swivel handle grip and the pulling rod. For the case of two pulling rods, there is further provided another transmission mechanism so that pressing the push button will further unlock locking devices in the pulling rods via coupling rods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of The Invention

The present invention relates to retractable handle of a wheeled luggagecase and more particularly to such a handle having one or two pullingrods each having a handle grip in the shape of enclosed frame (e.g.,rectangle).

2. Description of Related Art

Conventionally, a retractable handle of a wheeled luggage case having asingle pulling rod has a shape of T (i.e., T-shaped handle grip)disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,434,790. For maintaining structuralstrength of the handle, the single pulling rod typically has a diameterat least two times larger than that of pulling rod of the popularn-shaped handle. As such, such can adversely affect a degree of comfortwhile holding the handle in towing luggage because the fingers areextended discomfortably.

A rectangular handle grip proposed to eliminate the above problemassociated with T-shaped handle grip is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.6,148,477. However, the prior art suffered from several disadvantages.For example, there is no provision of swivel mechanism on the handlegrip (i.e., no rotation on a horizontal plane is provided), resulting ina discomfortable holding thereof by the hand. Further, the handleinterconnected the push button and the locking device is not devisedwell. Hence, a need for improvement exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a retractable handleof a wheeled luggage comprising a pulling rod including one or moresliding tubes and a support tube; and a swivel handle grip mounted on atop of the pulling rod and comprising an enclosed frame including a toprecessed seat, a horizontal passage, first and second openings on abottom of the seat, a top third opening on the seat, a bottom recess,and a bottom tunnel on the bottom recess; and a first transmissionmechanism comprising a push button slidably anchored in the thirdopening, the push button including a spring biased first bottom posthaving a slanted end passed the first opening and a second bottom posthaving a slanted end passed the second opening, an upper sliding blockdisposed in the passage and including a first compartment, a secondcompartment having a slanted surface with the slanted end of the firstbottom post disposed thereon, and a third compartment having a slantedsurface with the slanted end of the second bottom post disposed thereon,a flexible connecting rod having one end fastened at the firstcompartment, a spring biased lower sliding block disposed in the bottomrecess and including a left cavity with the other end of the connectingrod fastened therein and a bottom dent, a central sleeve extendeddownward from a bottom of the frame of the handle grip, the sleevehaving an intermediate neck and a lower annular toothed member having aplurality of slots therearound, an upright rod slidably received in thebore of the sleeve, the upright rod having a sharp top end passed thebottom tunnel to urge against the dent, a locking member engaged withtwo opposite ones of the slots and a bottom of the upright rod, a springbiased upright member engaged with a bottom of the locking member, and asheath interconnecting the sleeve and the upper sliding tube forenclosing the neck, the toothed member, the upright rod, the lockingmember, and the upright member; whereby pressing the push button willlower the first and the second posts to push the slanted surfacesrightwards for moving one end of the connecting rod to move to the rightand the lower sliding block to move to the left so that the top end ofthe upright rod is pressed by the dent to cause the upright rod, thelocking member, and the upright member to move down to clear the lockingmember from the slots of the toothed member, thereby unlocking both thehandle grip and the pulling rod.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a retractablehandle of a wheeled luggage, comprising a pair of pulling rods eachincluding one or more sliding tubes and a support tube; and a swivelhandle grip mounted on a top of the pulling rod and comprising anenclosed frame including a top recessed seat, a horizontal passage,first and second openings on a bottom of the seat, a top third openingon the seat, a bottom recess, and a bottom tunnel on the bottom recess;a first transmission mechanism comprising a push button slidablyanchored in the third opening, the push button including a spring biasedfirst bottom post having a slanted end passed the first opening and asecond bottom post having a slanted end passed the second opening, anupper sliding block disposed in the passage and including a firstcompartment, a second compartment having a slanted surface with theslanted end of the first bottom post disposed thereon, and a thirdcompartment having a slanted surface with the slanted end of the secondbottom post disposed thereon, a flexible connecting rod having one endfastened at the first compartment, a spring biased lower sliding blockdisposed in the bottom recess and including a left cavity with the otherend of the connecting rod fastened therein and a bottom dent, a centralsleeve extended downward from a bottom of the frame of the handle grip,the sleeve having an intermediate neck and a lower annular toothedmember having a plurality of first slots therearound, and an upright rodslidably received in the bore of the sleeve, the upright rod having asharp top end passed the bottom tunnel to urge against the dent; and asecond transmission mechanism comprising a housing including alongitudinal cylinder including a top flange, a narrow shoulder belowthe flange for slidably receiving the neck, a space below the shoulderfor slidably receiving the toothed member, a transverse passagewaythrough the space, and a bottom cavity; and an activation assemblyreceived in the housing and comprising an inverted U-shaped lockingmember disposed in the passageway to be engaged with two opposite onesof the first slots and a bottom of the upright rod, the locking memberincluding a lower central post and two lower side posts, a U-shaped seatincluding an upper groove, a spring biased lower post anchored on thebottom cavity for pushing the seat upward, and a channel through thelower post with the central post disposed therein, a pair of leverspivotably disposed in the housing, each lever including a well at oneend for receiving the side post and a second slot at the other end, anda pair of flexible coupling rods each having one end fastened at thesecond slot and the other end coupled to a locking device in eitherpulling rod, whereby pressing the push button will lower the first andthe second posts to push the slanted surfaces rightwards for moving oneend of the connecting rod to move to the right and the lower slidingblock to move to the left so that the top end of the upright rod ispressed by the dent to lower the upright rod, the locking member, andthe seat for pushing down the wells and lifting the second slots,thereby unlocking both the handle grip and the locking devices in thepulling rods via the coupling rods.

In one aspect of the present invention the handle grip is a rectangle.

In another aspect of the present invention there is further provided ahose member sleeved on the connecting rod.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following detailed descriptiontaken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment ofrectangular handle grip mountable on a single pulling rod of aretractable handle of wheeled luggage case according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the handle grip in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the handle grip in FIG. 1, where the pushbutton is in a nonoperating position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, where the push button is in anoperating position;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a wheeled luggage case incorporating thehandle grip on a single pulling rod of retractable handle in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a retractable handle of wheeled luggagecase having two adjacent pulling rods with a second preferred embodimentof handle grip mounted thereon according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the handle in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of the handle in FIG.7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of top portion of the handle grip in FIG. 6,where the push button is in a nonoperating position;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9, where the push button is in anoperating position; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a wheeled luggage case incorporatingthe handle in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a retractable handle of wheeled luggageconstructed in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of theinvention is shown. A handle grip, mounted on a single pulling rod ofthe handle, comprises a right frame element 11, a central frame element12, a left frame element 13, a push button 14 including a central post141 having a slanted end at the bottom and a side post 143 having aslanted end at the bottom, the push button 14 provided on the centralframe element 12, a first spring 14A put on the central post 141, anupper sliding block 15 laterally moveable in a distance along top edgesof both the right and the left frame elements 11 and 13, a flexibleconnecting rod 16 extended from the upper sliding block 15 to the lowersliding block 17 via left portions of the right and the left frameelements 11 and 13, a lower sliding block 17 including a left cavity 171with a second head 162 of the connecting rod 16 fastened therein, ashort passage 172 with the second head 162 passed, a dent 178 at centralportion of bottom, and a right pin 173, a second spring 17A having oneend 176 anchored at the pin 173 and the other end 177 anchored in a pin116 at the bottom 11B of the right frame element 11, an upright rod 18having a sharp top end 181 in a central sleeve 121B under the bottom ofthe central frame element 12, a locking element 18A engaged with abottom of the upright rod 18, a sliding upright member 19 engaged with abottom of the locking element 18A, a third spring 19A put on the slidingupright member 19, and a sheath 21 put on the central sleeve 121B. Thesheath 21 consists of two symmetric parts 21A and 21B. each (e.g., part21A) having a wide central well 210 for receiving the sleeve 121B andthe locking element 18A, a narrow central well 211 for receiving thesliding upright member 19 and the third spring 19A, two inner threadedpins 212 at both sides of the central well 210 for fastening parts 21Aand 21B of the sheath 21 together by driving screws therein, and twoinner threaded pins 213 at upper and lower ends of the central well 211for fastening a sliding tube (not shown) and the sheath 21 together bydriving screws therein. Note that the right frame element 11 issymmetric in shape with respect to the left frame element 13 so thatdescription of the right frame element 11 serves to describe theentirety. As shown in FIG. 2, the rectangular right frame element 11comprises a top 11T, a bottom 11B, a left portion 11L, and a rightportion 11R. The top 11T comprises a recessed seat 111 with the pushbutton 14 disposed therein, a central opening 110 on the seat 111, aright opening 110A, upper and lower holed lugs 112 at either side of theseat 111, an inner threaded pin 113 adjacent either end of the top 11T,and a horizontal passage 117 under the seat 111 with the upper slidingblock 15 provided therein. The passage 117 together with the groove 117Lof the left portion 11L, the groove 117R of the right portion 11R, andthe groove 117B of the bottom 11B form an enclosed groove in the shapeof rectangle. A substantially half circular recess 120A is formed in thecentral part of the bottom 11B. Two recesses 120A are adapted to enclosethe sleeve 121B. An aperture 115 is provided at either side of therecess 120A. An inner threaded pin 114 is provided adjacent either endof the bottom 11B.

The central frame element 12 comprises a top 12T, a bottom 12B, a leftportion 12L, and a right portion 12R. The top 12T comprises an ovalopening 121 with the push button 14 slidably received therein, two armsextended laterally each having an inner threaded post 122 extendeddownward, the inner threaded post 122 being adapted to sandwich betweenthe lugs 112, and two inner threaded lugs 123 either adjacent end. Theinner threaded lug 123 is aligned with the inner threaded pin 113. Assuch, the right, the central, and the left frame elements 11, 12 and 13can be fastened together by driving screws through the inner threadedpins 113 and the inner threaded lugs 123. The bottom 12B comprises aflat 121A, a sleeve 121B under the flat 121A, a neck 121C under thesleeve 121B, and an annular toothed member 121D having a plurality ofslots 121E therearound, two opposite slots 121E being adapted to engagewith the locking element 18A. A hole 1210 is extended from the flat 121Ato the toothed member 121D through the sleeve 121B. A first compartment128 is provided at one side of the flat 121A. A dent 129 is formedbetween the first compartment 128 and the flat 121A. As shown in FIG. 2,one indentation 125 is formed at right side of the flat 121A and anotherindentation 125 is formed at left side of the first compartment 128. Ahole 124 is provided adjacent either end of the bottom 12B. Theindentations 125 and the holes 124 are aligned with the apertures 115and the inner threaded pins 114 respectively.

The upper sliding block 15 is slidable along the passage 117 andcomprises a second compartment 151 with a first head 161 of theconnecting rod 16 anchored therein, a third compartment having a slantedsurface 152, and a fourth compartment having a slanted surface 153. Ahose member 16A has one enlarged end 163 anchored in a fifth compartment118 adjacent one end of the top 11T, and the other enlarged end 164anchored in the first compartment 128. The connecting rod 16 is adaptedto pass the hose member 16A with the first head 161 of the connectingrod 16 extended from the enlarged end 163 to anchor in the secondcompartment 151. Also, the second head 162 of the connecting rod 16 isextended from the enlarged end 164 to anchor in the cavity 171. Theprovision of the hose member 16A can facilitate the connecting rod 16 topull smoothly when the push button 14 is pressed as detailed later.

An assembly of the invention will now be described in detail below.Assemble the right and the central frame elements 11 and 12 together. Indetail, place the upper sliding block 15 in the passage 117. Put thefirst spring 14A on the post 141. Put the opening 121 on the push button14. Insert the upright rod 18 into the hole 1210. Anchor the enlargedend 163 of the hose member 16A in the fifth compartment 118. Anchor thefirst head 161 of the connecting rod 16 in the second compartment 151.Anchor the other enlarged end 164 of the hose member 16A in the firstcompartment 128. Anchor the second head 162 of the connecting rod 16 inthe cavity 171. Anchor one end 176 of the second spring 17A at the pin173 and the other end 177 thereof at the pin 116. The dent 178 is urgedby the sharp top end 181 of the upright rod 18. Drive screws through theinner threaded lugs 123 and the holes 124 into the inner threaded pins113 and inner threaded pins 114 respectively for fastening the centraland the right frame elements 12 and 11 together. Snap the left frameelement 13 onto the left portion 12L and the right portion 12R. Drivescrews 112A through U-shaped washers 112B into the lugs 112 forfastening the right and the left frame elements 11 and 13 together.Drive screws 125A through U-shaped washers 125B into the apertures 115and the indentations 125 for further fastening the right and the leftframe elements 11 and 13 together. Place the locking element 18A, thesliding upright member 19, and the third spring 19A into the sheath 21under the sleeve 121B. Finally, drive screws into the inner threadedpins 213 for fastening two parts 21A and 21B together.

An operation of the invention will now be described in detail below.Press the push button 14 to compress the first spring 14A. The posts 141and 143 are lowered to contact and push the slanted surfaces 152 and 153of the upper sliding block 15 rightwards. That is, the block 15 movesrightwards from the position in FIG. 3 to the position in FIG. 4. Thefirst head 161 moves to the right and the second head 162 (i.e., thelower sliding block 17) moves to the left respectively. As a result, thetop end 181 is pressed by the dent 178 to force the upright rod 18 tomove down. Next, both the locking element 18A and the sliding uprightmember 19 move down to clear the locking element 18A from the slots 121Eof the toothed member 121D. As a result, not only the locking deviceunderneath is unlocked (i.e., a sliding of the pulling rod is madepossible) but also a swivel of the handle grip is possible (see FIG. 5).

Note that the central frame element 12 can be integrally formed witheither the right frame element 11 or the left frame element 13 prior tothreadedly securing the right frame element 11 to the left frame element13. Further, the right frame element 11, the central frame element 12,and the left frame element 13 can be replaced by two symmetrical parts(e.g., right frame element 11 and left frame element 13) with componentsof the central frame element 12 being incorporated in the right frameelement 11 and the left frame element 13. These embodiments are alsopossible.

Referring to FIGS. 6 to 11, a retractable handle of wheeled luggageconstructed in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of theinvention is shown. The handle comprises two pulling rods, a rectangularhandle grip 10 having a first transmission mechanism containing theabove components 14 to 18, a second transmission mechanism 30 under thefirst transmission mechanism, an elongate container 40 for holding thesecond transmission mechanism 30 together, a pair of connecting rods 50,a bezel 60 having a conformed outer member 60A, a pair of sliding tubes70, a pair of locking devices 80 provided at bottoms of the slidingtubes 70, a pair of support tubes 90 for receiving the sliding tubes 70therein, a pair of sleeves 90A provided on tops of the support tubes 90,and an L-shaped support 100 provided at bottoms of the support tubes 90.Components (e.g., the handle grip 10 and elements (e.g., the lowersliding block 17, the connecting rod 16, the spring 17A, the sleeve121B, and the upright rod 18) within the first transmission mechanism)are not described further since they have been described in the firstpreferred embodiment. Further, components such as the bezel 60, theouter member 60A, the sliding tubes 70, the locking devices 80 eachcontaining a locking housing 81, a locking spring 82, and a lockingblock 83, the support tubes 90, the sleeves 90A, and the support 100 arewell known. Thus a detailed description thereof is omitted herein forthe sake of brevity.

The characteristics of the second preferred embodiment are detailedbelow by referring to FIGS. 7 to 10 specifically. In response topressing the push button 14, the second transmission mechanism 30 isadapted to transmit a downward force from the upright rod 18 to the leftand right locking devices 80 for unlocking.

The transverse second transmission mechanism 30 is enclosed in a housingconsisting of two symmetrical parts 31 and 31A so that description ofone side (e.g., part 31) serves to describe the entirety. Distinctelements enclosed by the parts 31 and 31A comprise an inverted U-shapedlocking member 32 under the upright rod 18, the locking member 32including an elongate member 320, a lower central post 322, and twolower side posts 321, a seat 33 having a section of U, the seat 33including an upper groove 333, a lower post 331, and a central channel334 through the post 331, a spring 34 biased against a bottom of thepost 331, a pair of levers 35 each including a tubelike element 350 witha pin 317 on an inner surface of the part 31 pivotably received therein,a well 353 at an inner end for receiving the side post 321, a slot 351at an outer end of the lever 35, and a dent 352 at an outer wall of theslot 351 so that one enlarged end 51 of a connecting rod 50 can beanchored in the slot 351 by resting on the dent 352. The other end 52 ofthe connecting rod 50 is connected to a slidable locking block 83 (seeFIG. 7) of the locking device 80 by passing the sliding tube 70 in awell known technique.

On outer surface of the part 31A there are provided holes 326 andapertures 325. On inner surface of the part 31 there are provided acentral half-circular top flange 311, an arcuate narrow shoulder 312below the flange 311, an enlarged, hollow cylinder 313 below theshoulder 312, the cylinder 313 having two side flats 313A, a smallcavity 314 on a bottom of the cylinder 313, two side pins 317, and aplurality of inner threaded pins 315 and 316 so that a plurality ofscrews 36 can be driven through the holes 326 into the inner threadedpins 316 for fastening parts 31A and 31 together. Further, a pluralityof screws 37 can be driven through the holes of the container 40 and theapertures 325 into the inner threaded pins 315 for fastening the secondtransmission mechanism 30 in the container 40. In the assembledposition, the spring 44 is anchored in the cavity 314 for pushing theseat 33 upward. The post 322 is inserted in the channel 334 (as shown inFIGS. 9 and 10). The sides of the locking member 32 are engaged with theupper portion of the two side flats 313A of the cylinder 313. Thetoothed member 121D is inserted into the cylinder 313 with the neck 121Cin the shoulder 312 so that an upward movement of the toothed member121D is limited by the shoulder 312, and the elongate member 320 beingurged upward by seat 33 to be disposed in and locked by two oppositeslots 121E.

In response to pressing the push button 14, the second transmissionmechanism 30 is adapted to transmit a downward force from the uprightrod 18 to lower the toothed member 121D so as to push down both thelocking member 32 and the seat 33 for compressing the spring 34. Wells353 of the levers 35 are thus pushed down by the side posts 321 forcausing the levers 35 to pivot about the pins 317 for lifting the slots351, as shown in FIG. 10. As a result, making the enlarged ends 51 ofthe connecting rods 50 lift to pull the other ends 52 of the connectingrods 50 for unlocking the locking devices 80. As an end, not only asliding of the pulling rods is possible but also a swivel of the handlegrip 10 is possible (see FIG. 11).

The elongate container 40 can be eliminated in other embodiment. Whilethe invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specificembodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made theretoby those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spiritof the invention set forth in the claims.

1. A retractable handle of a wheeled luggage, comprising: a pulling rodincluding one or more sliding tubes and a support tube; and a swivelhandle grip mounted on a top of the pulling rod and comprising: anenclosed frame including a top recessed seat, a horizontal passage, anda bottom recess; and a transmission mechanism comprising: a push buttonslidably anchored in the top recessed seat, an upper sliding blockdisposed in the passage, a flexible connecting rod having one endfastened at the upper sliding block, a spring biased lower sliding blockdisposed in the bottom recess, a central sleeve extended downward from abottom of the frame of the handle grip, the sleeve having anintermediate neck and a lower annular toothed member, an upright rodslidably received in a bore of the sleeve, a locking member engaged withtoothed member of the central sleeve and a bottom of the upright rod, aspring biased upright member engaged with a bottom of the lockingmember, and a sheath interconnecting the sleeve and the upper slidingtube for enclosing the neck, the toothed member, the upright rod, thelocking member, and the upright member; whereby pressing the push buttonwill push one end of the connecting rod to move to a first direction andthe lower sliding block to move to a second direction opposite to thefirst direction so that a top end of the upright rod is pressed by thelower sliding block to cause the upright rod, the locking member, andthe upright member to move down to clear the locking member from thetoothed member, thereby unlocking both the handle grip and the pullingrod.
 2. The retractable handle of claim 1, wherein the handle grip has ashape of rectangle.
 3. The retractable handle of claim 1, furthercomprising a hose member sleeved on the connecting rod.
 4. Theretractable handle of claim 1, wherein the enclosed frame furthercomprises a first and second openings on a bottom of the seat, a topthird opening on the seat, a bottom recess, and a bottom tunnel on thebottom recess.
 5. The retractable handle of claim 4, wherein the pushbutton further comprises a spring biased first bottom post having aslanted end passed the first opening and a second bottom post having aslanted end passed the second opening.
 6. The retractable handle ofclaim 5, wherein the upper sliding block further comprises a firstcompartment, a second compartment having a slanted surface with theslanted end of the first bottom post disposed thereon, and a thirdcompartment having a slanted surface with the slanted end of the secondbottom post disposed thereon.
 7. The retractable handle of claim 1,wherein the lower sliding block further comprises a left cavity with another end of the connecting rod fastened therein and a bottom dent. 8.The retractable handle of claim 4, wherein the upright rod furthercomprises a sharp top end passed the bottom tunnel of the frame to urgeagainst a dent of the lower sliding block.
 9. A retractable handle of awheeled luggage, comprising: a pair of pulling rods each including oneor more sliding tubes and a support tube; and a swivel handle gripmounted on a top of the pulling rod and comprising: an enclosed frameincluding a top recessed seat, a horizontal passage, and a bottomrecess; a first transmission mechanism comprising a push button slidablyanchored in the top recessed seat, an upper sliding block disposed inthe passage, a flexible connecting rod having one end fastened at theupper sliding block, a spring biased lower sliding block disposed in thebottom recess of the frame, a central sleeve extended downward from abottom of the frame of the handle grip, the sleeve having anintermediate neck and a lower annular toothed member, and an upright rodslidably received in a bore of the sleeve; and a second transmissionmechanism comprising a housing including a longitudinal cylinder forslidably receiving the central sleeve of the first transmissionmechanism; and an activation assembly received in the housing andcomprising an inverted U-shaped locking member disposed in thepassageway to be engaged with the lower annular toothed member and abottom of the upright rod, a U-shaped seat including an upper groove, apair of levers pivotably disposed in the housing, and a pair of flexiblecoupling rods each having one end fastened at the one of the levers andthe other end coupled to a locking device in either pulling rod, wherebypressing the push button will push one end of the connecting rod to moveto a first direction and the lower sliding block to move to a seconddirection opposite to the first direction so that a top end of theupright rod is pressed by the lower sliding block to lower the uprightrod, the locking member, and the seat for pushing down a first end oflever and lifting a second end of the lever, thereby unlocking both thehandle grip and the locking devices in the pulling rods via the couplingrods.
 10. The retractable handle of claim 9, wherein the handle grip hasa shape of rectangle.
 11. The retractable handle of claim 9, furthercomprising a hose member sleeved on the connecting rod.
 12. Theretractable handle of claim 9, further comprising a container forreceiving the second transmission mechanism.
 13. The retractable handleof claim 9, wherein the house further comprises a top flange, a narrowshoulder below the flange for slidably receiving the neck, a space belowthe shoulder for slidably receiving the toothed member, a transversepassageway through the space, and a bottom cavity.
 14. The retractablehandle of claim 9, wherein the locking member further comprises a lowercentral post and two lower side posts.
 15. The retractable handle ofclaim 9, wherein the U-shaped seat further comprises a spring biasedlower post anchored on the bottom cavity for pushing the seat upward,and a channel through the lower post with the central post disposedtherein.